| Submit your comments on this article |
| Iraq-Jordan |
| Brother Says Missing Marine in Iraq Freed |
| 2004-07-06 |
| If it’s true, it should be an interesting debrief. The family of a Lebanese-born U.S. Marine held hostage in Iraq said it was confident Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun had been freed and was well, though relatives have not heard directly from him, his brother said Tuesday."We have received reliable information the guy is free," Sami Hassoun told The Associated Press from the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, where the Marine has family. Though he had not spoken with his brother, who was serving as a translator with the U.S. Marines in Iraq when he went missing June 20, Sami Hassoun said "we received a sign from my brother reassuring us." Hi, guys. My head’s still attached. He would not say what was the sign, but said the family received information deemed credible from a person he did not identify who came to their Tripoli home. That person, he said, did not disclose the whereabouts of the Marine to the family. Lebanese Foreign Ministry officials said in Beirut that its embassy in Baghdad said Hassoun was still alive. They gave no further details. Hassoun’s alleged captors have claimed he was romantically involved with an Arab woman and was lured away from his Marine base and captured. Hassoun’s family in Tripoli and in Utah have had their hopes dashed and raised with conflicting information about the Marine’s fate coming from his purported captors and Lebanese officials. On Saturday, a militant group calling itself the Ansar al-Sunna Army claimed on a Web site that it had beheaded the 24-year-old Marine, adding it would release video backing that assertion. But the group said Sunday it did not issue the statement, leaving it unclear what had happened to Hassoun. In a statement sent to Al-Jazeera television, a group calling itself "Islamic Response," said Monday that Hassoun was safe at an undisclosed location. The statement also claimed Hassoun had promised not to return to the American military. The Marines might have something to say about that. "We pray that the news of his safe release is true," Tarek Nosseir, a family spokesman, said Monday. "If he is still in captivity, we remind the captors of the saying of our beloved prophet: Be merciful to those on earth, mercy will descend upon you from heaven." ...and he’s not an INFIDEL! Hassoun, educated at American schools in his native Lebanon before moving to the Salt Lake City area, was serving his second stint in Iraq. His father, Ali Hassoun, who also lives in Tripoli, repeatedly has pleaded for his son’s release. He and his other sons have contacted politicians and Muslim clerics in Lebanon and Islamist groups in Iraq in hopes of securing the Marine’s release. |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #17 1. IIUC, Greater Salt Lake City is little more than half Mormon. Theres a considerable hispanic minority (and has been for a long time) and plenty of other "gentiles" including a few Jews - note that all non-Mormons are "gentiles") 2. Why was he allowed in the USMC - I guess he met all criteria for joining - anyone know of any criteria he missed? All in all, I still dont think we know the whole truth here. Hell, I havent heard any info lately on the real story with Nick Berg either. |
| Posted by: Liberalhawk 2004-07-06 5:37:07 PM |
| #16 1. IIUC, Greater Salt Lake City is little more than half Mormon. Theres a considerable hispanic minority (and has been for a long time) and plenty of other "gentiles" including a few Jews - note that all non-Mormons are "gentiles") 2. Why was he allowed in the USMC - I guess he met all criteria for joining - anyone know of any criteria he missed? All in all, I still dont think we know the whole truth here. Hell, I havent heard any info lately on the real story with Nick Berg either. |
| Posted by: Liberalhawk 2004-07-06 5:37:07 PM |
| #15 Jen - prolly 'cuz Utah has a lot of high-desert, mormons like that polygamy thing, look down on drink, and the big one - it doesn't have enough 7/11s. |
| Posted by: Jarhead 2004-07-06 8:11:39 PM |
| #14 More intriguing yet, why is the Interior Minister of Lebanon (another article) taken upon himself to give information on the fate of an American Marine? He is an American, is he not? Shouldn't somebody from the US Army be the one in charge of securing his realease and informing the public about it? |
| Posted by: Anonymous4617 2004-07-06 5:30:17 PM |
| #13 This is the weirdest story--I hate it. How did this guy get in the Marines and why does his Muslim Lebanese family live in Mormon-dominated Utah? |
| Posted by: Jen 2004-07-06 5:22:22 PM |
| #12 He and his other sons have contacted politicians and Muslim clerics in Lebanon and Islamist groups in Iraq in hopes of securing the Marine’s release. The whole Middle East is nothing more than one big spider's web: pull one or two strands and the whole thing moves. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-07-06 5:12:03 PM |
| #11 Not focus groups... if it is centrally directed perhaps is giving irregular rewards.... ala pinball and slot machines. It's a very effective way to change behavior for higher mammals. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-07-06 3:52:47 PM |
| #10 I second that. |
| Posted by: Anonymous5574 2004-07-06 3:39:10 PM |
| #9 Still no word, I'm hoping he's ok. |
| Posted by: Steve 2004-07-06 2:57:26 PM |
| #8 Habeas corpus or STFU. |
| Posted by: RWV 2004-07-06 2:43:08 PM |
| #7 "Zarqawi must be relying on focus groups..." LOL. "Hokay, thanks for coming today. Before you get lunch, let me ask you a few questions. We got a Marine out back and we're thinking about chopping his head off. How do you all feel about that? Yeah, you in the back, sir." "Not so good, Mr. Zarqawi." "And why is that, I'm wondering?" "Because if you do, the Marines will come here and whip the ever-loving snot out of us." "Well, you've heard one point of view. Who's next?" |
| Posted by: Matt 2004-07-06 2:08:53 PM |
| #6 The Pakistani was released as well. |
| Posted by: rich woods 2004-07-06 1:59:00 PM |
| #5 The Japanese lefties got released also, but Nick Berg and the South Korean kid got chopped. The message is muddled. Zarqawi must be relying on focus groups. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-07-06 12:18:52 PM |
| #4 word on teh radio this AM was that he had to defect to stay alive |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-07-06 11:28:16 AM |
| #3 Prolly gonna set him up in a chateau in Beirut with a Med view and milk him for all the propaganda value they can... |
| Posted by: .com 2004-07-06 11:08:14 AM |
| #2 Surprise, surprise...a muslim U.S. marine released unharmed by the terrorists. Let's see, he joins the list of other U.S. marines held hostage and released unharmed...oh wait...he's the only one on that list... |
| Posted by: jawa 2004-07-06 11:04:32 AM |
| #1 Something is rotten is the State of Denmark! |
| Posted by: Anonymous4617 2004-07-06 10:09:37 AM |